The Galley Gourmet

6/17/2015

1. The family photo album needed more pictures of my kids and less of food.

2. I had an attack of OCD and polished my copper pots and pans with a toothbrush.

3. It's been too darn cold the last 10 months to do anything!

4. I ran out of cayenne pepper and kept forgetting to put it on my grocery list.

5. Thought I took a job with Uber, but realized I was just driving my kids around.

6. My new part time job took out the most productive part of my day for blogging.

7. Wrote a screen play with a plot twist involving pork belly...epic fail.

8. Tears from writer's block shorted out my laptop.

9. Consulted my dogs on a flavor for a new wing sauce for Buffalo Wild Wings-- bananas and cheese?!?

10. Brushed up on all the growing varieties and health benefits of kale.

And since I updated my Facebook status a few weeks ago with a recipe coming soon, I have been spending my days chasing and picking up tumble weeds of black Labrador hair. Seriously, I could knit a sweater with them! So, there you have it-- a laugh and the truth. I am human and we all get a little busy. I can't say that my posting will be as frequently as it once was, but the quality of the food will be just as good.

Now on to the recipe... These days I am in major need of dinners that can be made ahead of time and served to whoever and whenever. For example-- last night my son had to be at work at 6:00pm, my oldest daughter had to be at driver's ed from 6:00-8:00pm, and my youngest had to be at soccer practice from 6-7:30pm. So as you can see, we either eat at 8:30pm (and sometimes my son still isn't home yet) or we eat in shifts. This recipe comes in handy for eating in shifts.

The original recipe called for one pound of pasta, but I wanted to use a type of Asian noodle and they only come in 12-ounce packages. So, I subbed the missing carbs with shredded purple cabbage. It adds a bright color, good crunch, and it's a healthier alternative. I also add some scallions for a mild onion flavor, as well as some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce for a nice flavor boost. It is good cold or at room temperature and leftovers are always well received.

8/01/2014

Whassup?! Yep, I'm still here. I just got a case of the blogging blues and I have been thoroughly enjoying summer with my family. For the first time in almost four years, I have taken more pictures of my kids than food! I do thank you for the comments and concerns about my whereabouts. I promise I will get back into a regular posting schedule again soon. Maybe when the kids are out of the house by 7:35 am instead of waking up at 9:00 am (wait-- 10:45 am for the teenagers) and saying-- "Mom, what are we going to do today?"

A few Sundays back, I had every good intention of sharing this recipe. It was a beautiful day and I had raspberries ready to be picked in the garden (which influenced my choice of dessert for the evening). I cooked and photographed the brownies, edited the image, wrote up the Sunday dinner menu, and even got as far as typing half the recipe. Then my husband walks in and says-- "How 'bout we get out of here, go toss back a few and eats some hot wings while we watch the World Cup?" See, it's not all my fault that I have been incognito. There are just too many distractions around here;)

Anyways, here is a little something sweet for you to enjoy while I dust off the cobwebs. Don't think I need to say much about raspberries, cream cheese, and chocolate other than-- "To die for!"

6/13/2014

Well, I found my blogging britches...sort of. But they are in dire need of some cleaning and repairs. Actually, I could use a fresh new pair for a new look, but I'll have to make do for now. One would think with summer vacation underway, I would have more time to blog. Not! Twice this week I had intentions to write this post, but instead I was busy with, "Mom, what are we going to do today?" and "Mom, can we paint my room?" and "Mom, we need new clothes" and "Mom, can we brush the dogs' teeth?"(--say what? Yeah, we have two dogs). Not to mention driving to and from friends' houses and soccer practice (yep, still going) around a town where it seems that every other street is either blocked or closed due to construction and a weekend festival going on (grrr--sorry for the venting)! And it probably didn't help that any free time that I did have it was spent with my nose in a book-- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is a twisted good read.

Anyway, here I am sharing a recipe because I need to, I want to, and because it is really darn good! You know that I am a big fan of smoked meats. But sometimes that whole process of smoking can be quite labor intensive (which is why I usually make it in large batches and freeze it). However, this recipe is not. Tender, dark chicken leg quarter meat is smoked with wood chunks instead of logs. The whole cooking process takes about an hour, unlike the 9 to 11 hours that other smoked meats can take. Bonus for a weeknight dinner or when you just want to enjoy all the outdoor weekend festivities. Pile up the finished product on some good homemade or bakery buns and serve with some creamy coleslaw, a few chips or even some sweet summer corn-on-the-cob. This is a meal fit for a king-- the king of the house for Father's Day that is!

5/22/2014

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Hello dear readers. How are you? Me? I am alive and wonderfully well. You may have been wondering where I have been. Let's see...I have been enjoying this fine weather we are having and getting my yard and garden ready for the warm season. I have been traveling around Northern Illinois for soccer games. I have been cleaning the house and putting away winter things (I wish for good, especially after that little bit of snow on May 16th?!?) and dusting off summer toys. I have been enjoying time with my husband (sans kiddos) on long weekend bike rides and lunch dates. And like always, I have been busy in the kitchen making food for my family and for cupcake lovers☺. But what I have not been doing is posting here. I'm sorry, I just haven't had my bloggin' britches on. To me, blogging is about quality and not necessarily about quantity. I don't want to just throw out a post and recipe. I want my heart, soul, and my passion for food to be in each and every one. Having said that...a long holiday weekend is ahead, so I want to share a few good eats from the archives that would be perfect for the weekend and all summer long. Have a safe and wonderful weekend. Now I gotta go find my britches!